A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. Additionally, the core of the gas turbine engine general includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gasses through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
Conventional gas turbine engines include rotor assemblies having shafts, compressors, turbines, couplings, sealing packs, and other elements required for optimal operation under given operating conditions. These rotor assemblies have a mass generating a constant static force due to gravity, and also generate a dynamic force due, e.g., to imbalances in the rotor assembly during operation. Such gas turbine engines include bearings to sustain and support these forces while permitting rotation of the rotor assembly.
At least some known rotary machines use gas bearings where non-oil lubricated bearings are desired. However, typical gas bearings are supported at an outer periphery of the bearing pads due to the conventional inwardly-positioned dampener assemblies. Such a configuration may make it difficult for the gas bearings to accommodate any misalignment of a rotary component of the rotor assemblies, as a point or line force is created between the bearing pad and rotary component due to such misalignment.
Therefore, a gas bearing capable of accommodating a misalignment of a rotary component of a rotor assembly would be useful. More particularly, a gas bearing capable of supporting a misaligned rotary component of a rotor assembly without generating a substantial point force or line force would be especially beneficial.